A conventional ball joint assembly includes a joint socket, a ball stud, and a bearing. The bearing is supported in a chamber of the joint socket. The bearing supports a head portion of the ball stud within the joint socket. A shank portion of the ball stud extends outwardly of the socket and is rotatable and tiltable relative to the socket.
During use, movement of the head portion of the ball stud on the bearing and relative to the socket results in wear of the bearing within the ball joint assembly. When wear within the ball joint assembly reaches a predetermined amount, the ball joint assembly should be either replaced or repaired.
It is desirable to determine when wear of the predetermined amount occurs within the ball joint assembly. One conventional ball joint assembly that indicates wear includes an electrical contact that is embedded in the bearing. Electrical power is applied to the electrical contact and to the ball stud. When the bearing wears by the predetermined amount, the ball stud engages the electrical contact. When the ball stud engages the electrical contact, an indicator device is energized to indicate wear of the predetermined amount.
In the conventional ball joint assembly, damage to the electrical system may result in failure to indicate wear of the predetermined amount within the ball joint assembly. For example, if a lead wire of the conventional ball joint assembly is severed, the indicator device may not be energized when the ball stud engages the electrical contact. As a result, the conventional ball joint assembly may fail to properly indicate wear of the predetermined amount.